Case Study:
Divorce on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.

Facts: Carol and Paul are professionals, parents of two school age children, living in a two bedroom apartment on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The children go to private school, have an after school math tutor and take dancing lessons. Learn More

Child Support can be a difficult issue for parents to resolve.

The child support paradox.

We help you understand how the law calculates quality of life concerns and child support obligations, including the payment of add-on expenses. Both are required because on the one hand the state provides a formula for child support payments. On the other hand the court tries to keep the children’s lives as “pre-divorce normal” as possible. We believe there is strength in knowledge; we work to give you that strength.

Add-on expenses reflect the “extras” your child enjoys now.

In New York, child support is payable until a child turns 21 years of age. The basic child support obligation, which covers food, clothing and shelter expenses, is determined by a statutory formula Add-on expenses cover all other child care costs including, for example, unreimbursed medical costs, child care, private school, summer camp, extracurricular school activities, and tutoring, among other things. These additional expenses are paid pro rata in accordance with the parties’ respective incomes. We help our clients understand how their child support obligation is calculated as a means of reducing, or even eliminating, child support disputes between parents.

The system requires full financial disclosure from both parents.

In those instances where one parent is withholding financial information or otherwise frustrating the process in a way that prevents a proper child support calculation, involving the Court can help set expectations and ultimately resolve the dispute. When you and the other parent cannot resolve your respective child support obligations, the statutory formula determines those obligations based solely on the numbers.

Let’s talk about what you want to do.

We seek to find the best solutions for clients who want to move on. Please contact our office to learn how we can help you move your life forward in a positive direction.